Cristabelle Braden - Different Kind of Warrior (Live Vocal Performance)

Today is the anniversary of my traumatic brain injury. It's a weird feeling. On the one hand, I'm so grateful for how far I've come. But this day also brings up the pain and the years of struggle in a way that is hard to describe. I really didn't have any words today. But all of this emotion was coming up that I didn't know what to do with. The only thing I could do was sing it out.

This song was written out of my experience from living with brain injury. Writing music was something I never did before the TBI, but in the early stages of recovery when I was having trouble putting words together, forgetting everything, falling over, struggling with overstimulation and communication and so much more, songs were the only way that I could truly express myself. Music has been a huge part of my recovery process. You might have heard this song before. It was released earlier this year. But singing this again today, I was brought back to that feeling... how cathartic it can be to release emotion in song.

Being a warrior can be a really long process. It's full of ups and downs and in-betweens. But every step forward is something to celebrate. Every single moment that you continue to fight is a moment of victory. The path is hard. I understand that sometimes it takes everything within you just to take the next breath. I've learned how to desperately rely on the strength of Jesus in ways that I didn't know were possible. In our weakness, He is strong - never forget that. Being a warrior isn't all about pushing through. You are never more of a warrior than when you learn to lay down your burdens, let go, and trust that God is in control. God walks with us through our trials, and He can turn them into something more beautiful than we ever could imagine.

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord."
Psalm 40:1-3

Today, I choose to praise God because of who He is. He has put a new song in my mouth to sing. This is not the path I would have chosen or seen for my life, but I'm learning how to trust in the Lord with all my heart. He has taught me what it means to be a different kind of warrior. I hope this encourages you in some way... if you're reading this, just know that you are never alone. God is walking with you, His light always shines out the darkness, and His perfect love is there to cast out all fear.

Xo, Cristabelle

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"Different Kind of Warrior" available on all music streaming platforms
More: cristabellebraden.com

Song Credits:
Written & Performed by Cristabelle Braden
Produced by Stephen Leiweke at Yackland Studio, Nashville TN
©2020 Cristabelle Braden

Special thank you to the Council on Brain Injury for providing my camera! :)